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Disclaimer: Fruba is not mine! But... my therapist says I'm doing much better with that fact now...

ALL REVIEWERS ARE LOVELY! glomps I realllly needed to say that.

The room hadn't really changed from when Tohru was last there; somehow, she had expected it to, at least a little. Not painting the walls pink or hanging up frilly curtains or anything but at least a little more light. After all that had happened, she would've assumed...

But it hadn't changed. The black-haired teen sat at the paper door, then looked back at the two of them emotionlessly.

"Hatori. Honda."

Her name rolled off his tongue like both a profane word and a blessing as he said it, making her shiver.

"K-Konbanwa Akito-san."

The Sohma head did not reply.

"Why did you do that to Ayame?" Hatori asked after a moment of silence. Akito smirked faintly.

"Because the snake was getting brave, thinking he was beyond my rules, like helping secret Tohru Honda from me. Does that not merit a punishment? I only reminded him that the snake is so easily forgotten, because the snake forgets so simply..."

"You had no right to do that to him." Hatori responded, glaring at the Sohma head, uncharacteristically hostile. It was bad enough when he hurt Yuki... Ayame did nothing to deserve this!

"Honda."

Akito ignored Hatori's comment, fixating his eyes on the brunette behind him. Tohru's eyes shot up in surprise and she forced herself to stare into his dark ones, which seemed to be laughing at her.

"Why have you stayed so long in this house? And without my permission... you should know better. Are you being made to stay by the dragon?" Somehow, his tone had slid from harsh to understanding in the space of his speech, his eyes appearing to soften. "You can tell me..."

Tohru shifted nervously. "A-ano, he's not making me... well, I guess he is, ah! But I don't mean that in a bad way!"

"Quite a confusing dilemma." Akito mused, smirking again. "Perhaps you want to clear things up Hatori?"

"I'm making her stay until she is well." The doctor replied, keeping his face neutral.

"Then the rumors of something more between you then a doctor and patient," A shudder seemed to run through the room. "The love that was beginning between you, all this is..." His voice paused, the Sohma head watching Tohru carefully.

"...a mere lie?"

There was silence in the dark room, Akito's birds having stopped their chirping, waiting, waiting for...

A whisper broke the silence.

"...no."

Born of one of their throats, it drifted to Akito's ears, his eyes darkening immediately.

"What?"

"There... I believe... that there's more. At first, I didn't know what it was; I never thought that I could love anyone like... like this. I want to love Hatori Sohma!"

"Be quiet! Stop yelling! You idiots, it won't last, love can't carry you anywhere but down!"

"No... Akito..."

"Be QUIET Hatori! I know what I'm saying! No one can ever love you for who you are!" He rose to his feet, glaring at them. "I won’t allow it Hatori, do you remember Kana? That foolish girl, she thought she could love you too, but it all ends the same way. You remember..."

"But she's not! She's not Kana!" The ryuu roared. "She's not Kana and that's why I'm in love with her!"

"Enough of this! " Akito strode over to Tohru and backhanded her, glaring as she fell back from the unexpected blow.

"Women are weak, you don't need her Hatori." He whirled angrily as he felt her touch his shoulder.

"What do you want you idiot?!"

"I...I want you... to be happy." The girl whispered.

"What?"

"I-I don't want you to hate Hatori, or me for loving each other but... I want you to be happy. I want you... to be loved." She looked up at the dumbstruck Sohma teen and smiled, the red slap mark still clearly visible on her face.

"I love you Akito."

He took a step back, moving away from her slowly.

"Y-you..."

"Hai. I love you."

"G-go away. Leave me alone!" The black-haired boy's voice grew louder and more panicky, making it shrill, cutting through the air.

"Get out!"

"Tohru..." Hatori took her hand, leading her gently out of the room. Once the door was shut behind them, he turned to face her. "Are you all right? Did he hurt you much?"

"I'm okay..." Tohru said softly, but then her eyes filled with tears unexpectedly. Hatori's golden eyes widened. "Tohru? Are you all right?" His tone had a sense of urgency and she forced herself to nod, her throat choked by tears.

"I just... can't imagine what it's like... not to be loved by anyone, unable to even fool yourself into it. Just living day after day, knowing you're not loved by anyone." She buried her face in Hatori's coat like a child, careful not to hug him.

"I want to help him... I just wanted to help him so much..."

Hatori rested a hand on her head. "It's okay, you made the right choice, it's okay..."

They stood in silence, Hatori letting Tohru's emotions wash over her like a wave, knowing this was one blow he couldn't shield her from. Finally, he looked down at her quietly.

"Daijoubu?"

She sniffled. "H-hai, sorry I'm such a mess." She whispered. "I never even, er, that is... I never answered what-what you told me."

"But you did." Hatori replied in an equally soft whisper. "You said you wished to love Hatori Sohma... or have you...?"

"No," She whispered back. "I'm never going to change my mind. I'm going to love you forever, for exactly who you are."

Hatori smiled, and to Tohru it seemed like his first real one, the first sign of spring in a long drawn-out winter. She kissed him, standing on her tiptoes to do so and putting her hands on his chest to steady herself.

"I love you Hatori Sohma."

--

Yuki poked his brother. "Why are you spying you hentai?"

"I'm not hentai! Well... maybe a little... but I'm making sure that they got together my dear otouto." Ayame replied. He was slowly returning to his usual careless self but his serious side was still out in full force, unable to fully forget again. Yuki'd seen various flashes of pain flicker across Ayame's face, as if catching himself, reminding him who he was, and what he was. It was possibly the scariest Yuki had seen the hebi, not knowing when he'd falter again.

"Hatori Sohma and Tohru Honda... I can see it on the wedding invitations now... a small chapel, all the Sohmas--" "I'm not sure all the Sohmas will fit in a small chapel."

"--Kisa as the flower girl, Hiro as ring bearer and we'll just have to HOPE he doesn't flush it like he tried to do at he and Kisa's little wedding party..." "Ayame you're babbling."

"--and some music selected by Shigure and myself, decorations by Haru, dresses by moi... oh it'll be grand!"

Yuki sweatdropped, going back to watch the two in the hallway. It must be nice, he mused, even though the seahorse couldn't hold her. The love that filled them both...

He reached over and ruffled his oniisama's hair, smirking as Aya 'eeped!' and looked over at him hurtfully. "I'm OLDER Yuki. That's MY job."

"Is it?"

"Yes otouto. Hold still while I prove it." Yuki dodged the incoming hand quickly. "No, thank you."

"Puu."

"Oniisama..."

"Hai?"

"Is this what you wanted?"

One of Ayame's eyebrows rose elegantly. "Wanted?"

"When you said... you wanted me to understand you... is this what you wanted all along?" Yuki's words were hesitant, somewhat nervous at this inquiry. Ayame nodded, understanding what his brother was trying to say and nodded.

"Hai otouto. This is what I wanted."

--

I think I'll end it there. Though I'm thinking about doing a blooper chapter... you there's a loose end you really think needs to be tied up, let me know. I can't really think of anything for Akito so if that's your loose end, give me a good (non-yaoi) idea of how to tie that up.

In other words, thanks go out to all my readers and reviewers! You people kept this fic going and made me verry happy. <beams Thank you for reading!

-CrimsonEyedAngel99

12:15am 6/20/04